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« To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph. » I cried unto God with my voice, [even] unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.

A Psalm of Asaph — Or, for Asaph; David’s melancholy psalm some call it, made by him when he was in grievous affliction and desertion. Out of which he seeketh to wind by earnest prayer, by deep meditation upon God’s former favours and unchangeable nature; and, lastly, by calling to mind God’s wondrous works of old, both in proving and in preserving his Church and chosen.

I cried unto God with my voice, … — I prayed instantly and constantly, and sped accordingly. No faithful prayer is ineffectual.

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In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.

In the day of my trouble — The time of affliction is the time of supplication, Psalms 50:15 .

My sore ran in the night — Heb. My hand was poured out; that is, stretched out in prayer; or wet with continual weeping. Non fuit remissa, nec retracta in lectum.

And ceased not — Or, was not tired; in allusion, belike, to Moses’s hands held up against Amalek; though

My soul refused to be comforted — I prayed on, though I had little heart to do it (as Daniel afterwards did the king’s work, though he were sick), or though with much infirmity, while I rather wrangled with God, by cavilling objections, than wrestled with him, as I ought to have done; by important prayer.

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I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

I remembered God, and was troubled — Tumultuabar, fluctuando perstrepebam; for God seemed to be angry, and to cast out my prayers; this made me mourn, and little less than murmur.

My spirit was overwhelmed — With sense of sin and fear of wrath. This was a very grievous and dangerous temptation, such as we must pray not to be led into, or at least not be left under, lest we utterly despair.

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Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

Thou holdest mine eyes waking — Thou holdest the watches of mine eyes, that is, mine eyebrows, saith the Chaldee, so that I can neither sleep nor speak. Job complaineth of the like misery, Job 7:8 See Psalms 38:10

That I cannot speak — Curae leves loquuntur, ingentes stupent.

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I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

I have considered the days of old — What thou didst for Adam, Abraham, Israel, in Egypt, …, all which was written purposely, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope. See Deuteronomy 32:7 .

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I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.

I call to remembrance my song in the night — i.e. My former feelings and experiments, being glad, in this scarcity of comfort, to live upon the old store, as bees do in winter.

I commune with mine own heart — Psalms 4:4 , see there.

And my spirit made diligent search — For the cause and cure of my present distempers.

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Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?

Will the Lord cast off for ever? — No, nor at all, though the extremity and length of the psalmist’s grief put him upon these sad interrogatories, with some diffidence, touching the nature and promise of God.

Will he be favourable no more? — So the devil and carnal reason would have persuaded him; and did haply for a time. But this very questioning the matter showeth he yet lay languishing at hope’s hospital, waiting for comfort. The soul may successively doubt, and yet believe.

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Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth [his] promise fail for evermore?

Is his mercy clean gone for ever? — They that go down into the pit (of despair) cannot hope for God’s truth, Isaiah 38:18 , but so doth not any saint in his deepest desertions.

Doth his promise fail for evermore? — Hath he retracted his promises, recalled his oracles confirmed with oath, seal? No, he will not suffer his faithfulness to fail, nor alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth, Psalms 89:33 .

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